The present invention relates to bicycle shifters and more particularly to a bicycle shifter mountable to an end of a handlebar and having a control mechanism that returns to a neutral position after each shift operation.
Bicycle racing is becoming an increasingly popular and competitive sport. One type of bicycle racing is time trials where the cyclist races against the clock for a certain distance. During these time trials, the aerodynamics of both the bicycle and rider are very important. Typically, a time trial bicycle will have hook-type handlebars. This type of handlebar is generally u-shaped with the “u” pointing in the riding direction and the end of each side of the “u” is turned upwardly. A typical shifter is mounted to the end of each side of the “u.” One disadvantage of these shifters is that they increase the aerodynamic drag encountered by the rider because the lever does not return to a neutral position after each shift operation rather the neutral position of the lever changes depending on which gear is selected. Furthermore, this configuration is not ergonomic and has a complicated design. Accordingly, there is a need for a simple shifter that is mountable to an end of a handlebar that returns to an aerodynamic/ergonomic position.